


Certain Sacrifices

by keerawa



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Community: spn_bitesized, Dealfic, F/M, Rituals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-18
Updated: 2011-04-18
Packaged: 2017-10-18 08:43:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keerawa/pseuds/keerawa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bela's running out of time on her Deal.  There's only one chance left - to invoke the god who can find a loophole in <i>anything</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Certain Sacrifices

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [spn_bitesized](http://spn-bitesized.dreamwidth.org/71452.html) Bela Challenge to jena's Gabriel/Bela prompt.

Everything was ready.

Bowls of alder, mullein, and mistletoe smoldered at three equilateral points around the ritual circle. Every stroke of the fuþark runes was perfect. Bela’s Siamese cat, Chai, lay drugged and snoring on the slate altar, ready for the iron dagger she clutched tight in her hand. For a moment, she debated going out and finding some stray. Chai was probably the only living thing that would actually care if she got dragged down to Hell. But that was what made it a true Sacrifice.

Bela had two days left. She’d tried to trade the Colt for her soul, but Lilith had screwed her over. This, an ancient ritual to invoke Loki, was her last chance. If there was any loophole in her Deal, He could find it.

Bela knelt before the altar. She began the long chant in Old Norse, finished it flawlessly, and began again. On the third repetition Bela felt its power build, but she kept going. Bela’s throat grew sore and the words blurred to meaninglessness, but she repeated the chant again and again. Nine was the most holy number in Norse mythology. Yggdrasil supported nine worlds. The sacred valknut held nine points. Odin hung as a sacrifice for nine days and nine nights.

The smoke from the sacred herbs hung thick in the air. The traffic sounds of the city fell away into silence as Bela gasped out the final words of the ninth repetition and stabbed the dagger down towards her cat’s still form.

The dagger clattered jarringly on an empty piece of slate. Bela froze. Behind her, a cat purred. Bela turned around slowly.

“Points for authenticity,” said the man holding her cat, “but I was never all that fond of blood sacrifices.”

He was unprepossessing, a short white male dressed in bargain-basement clothing. Chai happily kneaded her paws against his chest as he cradled her in his arms.

“Loki?” Bela asked.

He cocked his head. “I should hope so, with all the effort you went through to summon me. Did you know that no one’s attempted that ritual for over 300 years?”

Yes, she was very bloody aware. She’d blown most of her remaining cash and a decade’s worth of favors on the references to get it done properly. Bela stood up, smoothed down her skirt, and found she was right at eye-level with the god. “I thought you’d be taller.”

Loki smirked.

Bela found herself getting irritated. “Seriously - you’re the most notorious shape shifter in human history, and _this_ is the look you go for?”

He shrugged. “I’m incognito. The world’s not so pagan-friendly these days, and even my fellow gods keep trying to chain me up in nasty places. I mean, I could transform into a mare or something, if you really want, but I don’t think your carpets would survive the experience.”

“No, that’s … that’s fine.”

Chai meowed imperiously. Loki let her down. She twined around his ankles, scent-marking the god as her own, and then headed for her water dish.

Bela made up her mind not to pussy-foot around anymore. “Look, I made a Deal with a crossroads demon a few years back, and it comes due in a few days. Can you get me out of it?”

His eyes narrowed. “Maybe. What’s in it for me?”

She smiled. “Me.” Bela sauntered towards the little god, slow and sensual, stopping just a few inches away from him. She took a deep breath, and like magic, his eyes dropped to her cleavage. He reached to cup her breast but somehow his hand slipped inside her. A sudden, brutal pain ripped through her. Before she could scream it was over.

Loki licked at his fingers. “Hmm. Lilith’s got a claim on your soul. And …” He sucked thoughtfully on a fingertip. “Have you been playing with the Winchesters?”

“Why? Are they yours?” Sam and Dean certainly caused enough chaos to be worshippers of Loki.

“Oh no,” he said, stepping away from her, hands held up as if to deny the very possibility. “My brothers called dibs there a long time ago. But I’ve had a few run-ins with them. Those boys are a handful. It might be a little easier to shove them in the right direction with your help. Plus,” he grinned nastily, “screwing with Lilith? Always good for a laugh.”

“So it’s agreed?” Bela asked. “You’ll remove Lilith’s claim on my soul in return for … how does ten years service sound?”

“Like quite a deal, considering that you’re facing down an eternity of hellfire,” Loki answered drily. “But, sure, why be greedy? We can always renegotiate in ten years time. You just might find that you _like_ working for me.”

“Deal,” Bela said, and gestured gracefully towards her bed. “Shall we?”

“I’ll have to replace her claim with my own,” Loki warned her, unbuttoning his shirt. “It’s gonna hurt like Hell.”

Bela shrugged. “I’m a big girl. I can take it.”


End file.
